Marisa Thompson is the NMSU Extension Urban Horticulture Specialist, a state-wide position based in Los Lunas. She is responsible for active Extension and Research programs in sustainable horticultural practices for New Mexicans.

Marisa worked pairing plants and people at nurseries in Albuquerque before becoming an Extension Master Gardener for Bernalillo County in 2008 and a Las Cruces Tree Steward in 2014.

Her MS in Horticulture involved a study of pecan orchard floor management and how weeds affect water status, soil nutrient availability, and nut yield of mature pecan trees. Marisa received a PhD in Plant and Environmental Sciences in August 2017 for her research on pecan flowering mechanisms with a focus on plant hormones and genes that control floral initiation. She currently writes the gardening column, Southwest Yard & Garden, which is published weekly in newspapers and magazines across the state. Access the column archives below.

Bethany Abrahamson is the extension agriculture agent for Sandoval County and assistant for Desert Blooms. She received her Master of Science in Biology from the University of New Mexico, where she studied how natural history research collections are used by researchers and the public. As an entomology and nursery inspector for the New Mexico Department of Agriculture for nearly ten years, Bethany worked to protect our state from invasive pests and promote our agricultural industry. Her interests include the intersections between the natural world, art, and history.